Wedding Season: Make Your Makeup Last All Night

This past weekend, I went to my first of five weddings happening this year. There was a lot to be impressed by (the bride, the venue, the food), but one less-expected detail stuck out: A girl at my table's hot pink lipstick didn't fade or lose its sheen for a nanosecond. She could have been extra stealthy about sneaking away to touch it up. But it's more likely that the women who look great all night are following these tried-and-true tricks for making their makeup wear longer. (Oh, and in case you're wondering, her long-lasting shade was Revlon Super Lustrous in Fuchsia Fusion—I asked.)

Lipstick. There's one thing worse than lipstick that's faded in the center of your lips: lipstick that's faded in the center of lips that have also become dry and chapped. To prevent them from cracking, apply a nongreasy lip balm first. (I like By Terry Baume de Rose; it keeps lips moisturized without smudging the lipstick you apply on top.) Let it sink in for a minute, and then blot with a tissue. Add your lip color on top, and then blot lips again with just one ply of a tissue to remove the oils in lipstick that cause fading.

Play with textures. Layering different textures of makeup on top of each other is one of the best ways to make your look last through the night. But that doesn't mean that you have to get supercreative: Use an eye-shadow primer. Top your eyeliner with a matching shade of shadow. Dust a powder blush over a creamy formula. You get the gist.

Mascara. There are two big complaints when it comes to lashes: Mascara smudges, and lashes lose their curl. You could get extensions and call it a day. Or do like makeup artist Charlotte Willer and pump your curler from the base of your lashes up to the tips for the longest-lasting (and most natural-looking) curl. To keep mascara from smudging, brush translucent powder over your lids and under eyes (do that after you've finished applying your makeup).

Translucent powder. Speaking of translucent powder, the stuff works miracles. Use a fluffy eye shadow brush to apply it over your eye makeup, and just like that, your shadow and liner will hold all night. Then use a big powder brush to dust it over the rest of your face to keep foundation, concealer, and blush in place.